Micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) are well known in the art. The technology is of the very small, and merges at the nano-scale into nano-electro-mechanical systems (NEMS) and Nanotechnology. MEMS are also referred to as micro machines, or Micro Systems Technology (MST). MEMS generally range in size from a micrometer to a millimeter. Due to MEMS' large surface area to volume ratio, surface effects such as electrostatics and wetting dominate volume effects such as inertia or thermal mass.
MEMS technology is finding its way into sensors and is utilized in a number of ways each and every day by electronic and mechanical systems. These systems may determine location, speed, vibration, stress, acceleration, temperature as well as a number of other characteristics. Currently, it is common practice to obtain discrete components to determine each of the characteristics the operator or system may wish to measure. Many applications in consumer electronics, automotive electronics, audio/video, camcorder, camera, cell phone, games/toys, watches, PDA, GPS handhelds, medical devices, power supply on off system, navigation system and other electronic devices may utilize multiple sensors to meet their design objectives. In addition, the overall size of the sensors should decrease with the size of the devices in which they are embedded.